The underlying idea was to achieve three goals:
1. Produce an album featuring James LaBrie in ways that no one has heard him before;
2. Combine the elements of progressive rock, film scoring and very modern production;
3. Use the work of Richard Dawkins (one of today's most influential neo-Darwinist writers) as a concept that connects all the pieces on the album.
Its second album, called An Absence of Empathy, had the vocals of Sebastian Bach (ex-Skid Row). The basic concept behind An Absence of Empathy, was initiated by Shawn Gordon, president of ProgRock Records. Several years ago, he played keyboards for the band Zircadian; they had a partially written concept album under the name Prophet Savant, which led to the initial idea for An Absence of Empathy. In the original storyline, a man experiences different forms of violence because he becomes a kind of seer. They had written a song for an epic battle and two torture scenes.
In countless e-mails and meetings (one including Stephan Kernbach from Chain), Shawn and Henning Pauly developed this idea into the storyline and concept that is now the foundation of the new Frameshift album. They first dropped the mystical approach; then, by distancing the concept from being a story around a person, and instead focusing on what that person experiences, the story portrayed a more realistic situation. In this respect, like Unweaving the Rainbow, the album actually does not have a real storyline. Instead, it is a series of songs revolving around the same topic.
An Absence of Empathy: The Concept
"Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent"
This quote illustrates what this album is about. It is about violence -- human violence, to be precise. It is ever-present and, in varying degrees, ingrained in all of us. Just like wood grain, violence is inherent to our nature, but the question is, what factors determine who lets is show through and how does it show itself?
The same questions haunt the protagonist of An Absence of Empathy. He is a curious individual who wants to know why the media is filled with news about murder, rape and war -- and he is afraid that he might have the potential for violence himself. He starts to research the subject, but it isn't enough. It can't show him what motivates the person that acts violently or what plagues them, and it doesn't make him feel the pain of the victims. His desire to understand one of humanity's most basic traits leads to a series of vivid dreams - dreams that appear to be so real that he can't escape this dreamworld until it is all over. In them, he becomes the killer, he becomes the rapist, he becomes the soldier, he becomes the mother crying for her daughter who was raped.
The first song introduces the theme and illustrates how our main character is plagued by his questions about humanity's major flaw. He starts a journey into the minds of other people to experience violence firsthand. At the end of the album, he draws his own conclusions, and asks himself if there is nothing else to us besides hurting each other. The answer he finds is worthy of discovery.
An Absence of Empathy takes you into the psyche of several different people who are either experiencing or acting out violence. Each form of violence is dealt with in two songs, each one shedding light on a different point view of the scenario. For example, one song illustrates a torture scene from the point of view of the torturer; its counterpoint takes you into the same room, this time from the point of view of the tortured. Another pairing is about violence in schools. One song deals with a teacher using psychological violence towards his students (who then rebel), while the other song is about a school shooting.
Spiders
Frameshift Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Give me just one long night
Watch me work and slave away
I'll be done when you awake
Marvel at my bed of silk
Marvel at the one thing I can build
I will call this place a home
Deep in a corner where I wait
He will find me I'm his fate
I'll enjoy him day by day
Cause he'll never get away
I know you fear me
I know you fear me
Fear my home and fear my hands
Soon you'll feel me
Have reason to fear me
Scared 'cause you don't understand
Watch the dew that follows lines
Trickle through this web of mine
You see me can't comprehend
I'm a killer - a friend
You see me don't be afraid
Of this crystal I have made
It gives life to my own kind
And there'll be nothing left behind
I'm more than a witches pet
I am more than a beast
I know that I hide in shadows
But there's a little light in me
I know you fear me
I know you fear me
Fear my home and fear my hands
Soon you'll feel me
Have reason to fear me
Scared 'cause you don't understand
Build your own world
No regrets you have
And do what you have to do
For survival
Build your own world without regret
Do what you must to survive
Soon you'll kill me
Soon you'll kill me
Crush my home with you own hands
Soon you'll smear me
Why do you fear me
Cause I build the dreams you can't
I know you fear me
I know you fear me
Fear my home and fear my hands
Soon you'll feel me
Have reason to fear me
Scared 'cause you don't understand
In Frameshift's song "Spiders," the artist speaks from the perspective of a spider, building up its web as a home and trap for prey. The spider marvels at its ability to create a bed of silk and calls it a home, yet it is also aware that others fear it. The spider takes pleasure in capturing its prey, promising that they will not get away and that it will enjoy them day by day. As the spider waits in the corner, it views itself as a killer and a friend but is ultimately aware that humans do not understand it.
The song's lyrics can be interpreted in different ways, with some seeing the spider as a symbol of survival, while others view it as a metaphor for the darker parts of humanity. The spider's perspective throughout the song leads one to ask questions about the creature's inner psyche and motivations, and also asks listeners to empathize with an often-reviled animal.
Line by Line Meaning
Give me sundown till the light
I want as much time as possible to accomplish my goals
Give me just one long night
I want an uninterrupted period of time to work
Watch me work and slave away
Observe me working tirelessly
I'll be done when you awake
I'll keep working until my task is complete, regardless of how long it takes
Marvel at my bed of silk
Be amazed by the intricate web I have created
Marvel at the one thing I can build
Be impressed by my ability to construct something so complex
I will call this place a home
I consider my web to be my home
A trap for the drifter on the run
My web is designed to catch unsuspecting prey
Deep in a corner where I wait
I lurk in a hidden spot, waiting for my prey
He will find me I'm his fate
My prey will inevitably stumble upon my web
I'll enjoy him day by day
I will take my time devouring my prey
Cause he'll never get away
Once he's caught in my web, there is no escape for my prey
I know you fear me
I am aware that humans are scared of spiders
Fear my home and fear my hands
Be scared of my web and my ability to capture prey
Soon you'll feel me
You will feel the full effect of my presence
Have reason to fear me
You will be scared of me for a good reason
Scared 'cause you don't understand
Humans are scared of spiders because they don't understand them
Watch the dew that follows lines
Observe the water droplets that cling to my web
Trickle through this web of mine
The water droplets flow through the intricate design of my web
You see me can't comprehend
Humans can't fully grasp the complexity of my life as a spider
I'm a killer - a friend
I am a predator, but I am also an important part of the ecosystem
You see me don't be afraid
Don't be scared of me
Of this crystal I have made
My web is so intricate it almost appears to be made of crystal
It gives life to my own kind
My web provides a home for other spiders
And there'll be nothing left behind
When I am gone, my web will leave no trace
I'm more than a witches pet
Spiders are often associated with witches, but they are more than just that
I am more than a beast
Spiders are complex creatures with many intricate behaviors
I know that I hide in shadows
Spiders are often found in hidden corners and crevices
But there's a little light in me
Despite their tendency to shy away from the light, spiders have a role to play in the world
Build your own world without regret
Spiders are driven to build their webs, without any regret or remorse
Do what you must to survive
Spiders are driven to survive, even if it means causing fear in humans
Soon you'll kill me
Humans often kill spiders out of fear and disgust
Crush my home with you own hands
Humans often destroy spider webs and nests
Soon you'll smear me
When humans kill spiders, their bodies are often left smeared and disfigured
Why do you fear me
Spiders are not inherently dangerous to humans, so the fear is often irrational
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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